Tennessee Area Council Award Winners
Friday, March 1, 2013

Two Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley programs received Tennessee Area Council Program Honor Awards on Saturday, February 23, 2013.

The awards were presented at Boys & Girls Clubs’ statewide Tennessee All-Staff Retreat, held in Knoxville. Hearts for Haiti, a project at Moses Teen Center and Haslam Family Club University, received the award for “Best Overall Program.” Art in the Real World, a project at Haslam Family Club University, received the award for “Best Art Program.”

The winning overall program, Hearts for Haiti, involved four Boys & Girls Club teens in a trip to Haiti for a week to aid with disaster relief efforts. While there, the teens built 42 desks for a school that had been destroyed in a 2010 earthquake.

“Our trip to Haiti not only impacted Haiti villages, but it impacted our teens, their families, and our clubs,” said Shauna McKinney, the Hearts for Haiti project leader. “We know some of our teens are in hard times now, but seeing them willing to help others brings joy to the club and shows character and leadership qualities that we all want our children to have.” The winning art program, Art in the Real World, was led by staff member Genny Petschulat as an effort to bring art to life for Boys & Girls Club youth. Through this program, participants learned how the arts relate to careers, hobbies, and volunteering, as well as how the arts could improve their everyday quality of life. The nominations for the awards were reviewed by Boys & Girls Clubs of America and winners were chosen based on creativity; direct solution to the need; ability to replicate; and clear, measurable, and documented outcomes.